Sales and Marketing Manager - Am I Qualified?

In today's business world you will find numerous careers related to being a manager. So you ask yourself, "am I qualified to fill this position?" Going into an interview, your confidence level high, the answer is yes you are qualified. You must review the requirements of the position as to not be behind the eight ball if the interviewer asks questions regarding your experience. Details to review: job descriptions, education, and job outlook. Job outlook is important in our volatile job market to ensure career growth.

Job Description

Companies want leaders to run their business units. Generally Marketing/Sales Managers are assigned to run a larger section of the overall business, so human resource skills are a plus. You will be interacting with various levels of people as well as a multigenerational workforce. A strong financial acumen is critical. You will be responsible and accountable for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars. Analytical skills are needed to ensure you deliver desired results for the company. Other skills needed are the ability to monitor preferences of your customer base as well as inventory management. Lastly, you will need to be the face of your organization. High personal and business integrity are a given. If not, you could damage brand recognition.

Education

Education is the key to landing a position as a Marketing/Sales Manager. Most Fortune 500 companies require, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree in business administration. Having an emphasis on marketing or management will not hurt either. To take your education one step further, employers will look closer at you if you have a master's in business administration (MBA) from an accredited business school. Now if you are seeking employment in a science related field, degrees in engineering or science are critical. Certain employers will hire without those education requirements, but prefer if those education goals have been met.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for qualified Marketing/Sales Managers is on the rise. Analysts expect a 12% growth rate within the next 5 years due to growth internationally. Domestic growth has been limited due to our current financial opportunities, but sourcing will still be generated internally. From a compensatory standpoint, expect salaries to range anywhere from $70,000 to over $100,000, depending on the organization and the selected industry. Science and professional fields are in higher demand where manufacturing positions are declining.

You have the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the job. Utilize these tools to now land the job and grow your career.